The Magic Thief(novel)
The Magic Thief is the first book in a children's fantasy trilogy published by HarperCollins in June of 2008, written by Sarah Prineas and illustrated by Antonio Javier Caparo. The novel follows the adventures of Connwaer, a thief, who is taken into apprenticeship by Nevery Finglas, an old wizard. The sequels The Magic Thief: Lost was published in June 2009, followed by The Magic Thief: Found in May 2010. Plot Connwaer is a young gutterboy from the Twilight that does not know his own age with shaggy brown hair that hangs down over his bright blue eyes. He steals for a living, and usually manages to get one copper lock to buy his supper--or filch it himself. It is raining this very night, and Conn is lurking in an alleyway, searching for someone that he can steal a copper lock from to buy his supper. While looking for a person, and barely managing to find one, he sees an old wizard with a cane that is walking down the street, muttering to himself. Conn, realizing that his purse will be paying for his dinner, dips into the wizards cloak pocket and, for his trouble, finds the wizard's locus magicalicus--a stone that casts spells. As Conn holds it, the stone begins to glow, glowing red and putting on a good show, the alley flashing with dancing, flashing lights. The old wizard begins to come back, and Conn shoves the locus stone back into his pocket. The man grabs Conn's shoulder and offers him some dinner, which is not what Conn is expecting. His stomach gets the best of him and Conn agrees, and they go to an old chophouse where the wizard gets them dinner for two. He says his name is Nevery, and asks what Conn's name is, but Conn, thinking telling your name to a wizard is not a good idea, does not answer. He mentions to Conn that is it a cold, wet night for travelers, yet there are no ill effects he can see. Conn is promptly confused about what he means by 'ill effect', when Nevery says that Conn never told him his name, and Conn shrugs in reply. The chophouse keeper comes with pork chops and potatoes, and berry pie with a dusting of sugar. Conn begins eating the food, thankful, when he hears Nevery say something. Nevery repeats it, and Conn is surprised when Nevery says that his locus magicalicus would very likely kill Conn, if it hasn't done so already. Soon after, Conn almost dies, when Nevery says that if he won't tell him his name, he won't survive. Conn still refuses to tell him his name, when he finally gives in and is spared. Nevery says that Conn interests him, because he did not die the moment he laid his hands on the locus stone, and Conn begins to think he'll make a good wizard's apprentice. The next morning, Conn eats breakfast before Nevery takes him about and leads him to Strangle Street, then to Fleetside. When Conn asked where they are going, Nevery does not respond. They turn up at a tavern, where Nevery goes inside and returns with a strong-looking man. The man whispers to Conn to stay out of his way, and Nevery leads them to Dusk House, where the Underlord, ruler of the Twilight lives. Conn is frightened, because he has had a word out on him. The minions at the gate let Nevery inside, but leaving Conn and the muscle there. The minion guarding them notices Conn and realizes that the Underlord has a word out on him, and as he attacks, Conn escapes, running through the house, picking locks. He hears, behind a door, Nevery chatting with the Underlord, but all he can hear is Nevery angrily saying something in a deep growl. Behind another door, he finds a white-haired man talking about needing another measure of slowsilver. The white-haired man opens a bookshelf on the side of the room, which leads down some stairs to another room. Conn picks the lock, and, going down there, hears the clanking of metal, grinding of gears, and the acrid smell of burnt metal. He rushes away, and gets swatted by Benet, the muscle that had told Conn to stay out of his way, for running away. Nevery returns, and Nevery, Conn, and Benet leave the Dusk House, back to the chophouse. The next morning, on Conn's second day as an apprentice, Nevery tells him about a decline of magic in the city Wellmet which they live in, and he will demand leadership of Magisters Hall to research the problem and deal about it. After he explains the balance of power in Wellmet to Conn, he tells them they are going to Heartsease, Nevery's home. Benet hands Conn some bags to hold, and they head on the Night Bridge, the bridge across The River that leads to the Sunrise, the Duchess's and finer part of the city. They go through an alley through a maze that leads to one of the islands in the middle of the river, where Heartsease is located. Conn loves it at first sight, even though the middle is blown up from Nevery's pyrotechnic experiment twenty years ago. Conn begins to clean out boxes from downstairs, and sees they are full of magical things. As he finishes cleaning them up and the mouse droppings, cobwebs, and such that are littered there. When he goes to Nevery to ask if he should bring them up, he sees a painting of a strange creature leaning on one wall. When he asks what it is, Nevery replies that it is a dragon, and that they are extinct. Before Conn can ask what extinct means, Nevery defines it for him. After, they start sorting the boxes of magical stuff downstairs and Conn collects the junk, such as burnt scrying globes, a stuffed alligator, and such. They work the whole day, and at the end Conn climbs up into his freezing attic and goes to sleep.